Fund the Construction of a Chapel and Parish Center in ArgentinaTuesday, December 4, 2012

Project Code: 209-01-19

Vaqueros is a suburb of the provincial capital Salta, which lies at the foot of the Andes in north-west Argentina. The parish there, dedicated to the Resurrection of the Lord and to the Blessed Virgin of Aparecida, was established last year. It serves a population of 3,900, mostly families living in poverty, including 40% who are so poor that they lack many basic necessities.

The poverty goes hand in hand with a lack of basic education and widespread illiteracy, and this lack of education in turn has the effect of keeping people in poverty. It is a vicious circle in which alcoholism and drug addiction are also widespread, families broken up, children and young people left to hang out in the streets, often getting drawn into gangs. Therate of teenage pregnancies is very high.

The people need help, and the parish is their main port of call for their many needs of body and soul. Consequently, the Church faces many challenges, not least of which is that the parish as yet has no building in which to celebrate Holy Mass or carry out its many pastoral activities. At present, Mass is celebrated in the open air, provided it is not raining. But there are many other activities that the parish would like to be able to offer, for example catechesis, days of recollection, youth meetings, social activities such as an outreach program for teenage mothers, counselling and educational opportunities for people who otherwise have few prospects. The list is long, but without a roof over their heads, there is much that the parish cannot do.

The parish priest, Father Martin Farfán has turned to ACN for help so that the parish can build a chapel and a center for its activities. We have promised him $9,100. Will you give to fund the construction of this chapel and parish center in Argentina?